Emerging Infectious Diseases (May 2024)

Kinetics of Hepatitis E Virus Infections in Asymptomatic Persons

  • Ricarda Plümers,
  • Jens Dreier,
  • Cornelius Knabbe,
  • Eike Steinmann,
  • Daniel Todt,
  • Tanja Vollmer

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3005.231764
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 30, no. 5
pp. 934 – 940

Abstract

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To determine the kinetics of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in asymptomatic persons and to evaluate viral load doubling time and half-life, we retrospectively tested samples retained from 32 HEV RNA-positive asymptomatic blood donors in Germany. Close-meshed monitoring of viral load and seroconversion in intervals of ≈4 days provided more information about the kinetics of asymptomatic HEV infections. We determined that a typical median infection began with PCR-detectable viremia at 36 days and a maximum viral load of 2.0 × 104 IU/mL. Viremia doubled in 2.4 days and had a half-life of 1.6 days. HEV IgM started to rise on about day 33 and peaked on day 36; IgG started to rise on about day 32 and peaked on day 53. Although HEV IgG titers remained stable, IgM titers became undetectable in 40% of donors. Knowledge of the dynamics of HEV viremia is useful for assessing the risk for transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E.

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